Method of and apparatus for embossing material and coloring embossed surfaces



Jan. 27, 1931. FOWLER 1,790,233

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR EMBOSSING MATERIAL AND COLORING EMBOSSED SURFACES Filed May 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Irma-r060?" Tract D FowZ/ek' Jan. 27, 1931. F. D. FOWLER 0,233

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR EMBO MATERIAL AND COLORING EMBOSSED su Filed May 3, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jail. 27, 1931 UNITED/STATE FRED ID. rev/nun, or NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, sssloivon. BY AssIGNiaENTs,

- TO HUGE-RUBBER COMPANY, INC., OF WILMINGTON, DELAWAREQA CORPORATION OF DELAWARE 4 v son-Feces Application filed May S,

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus-for embossing material and color ing embossed surfaces, and has for its object to provide an improved device for embossing j illliltfil'lal and in the same operation coloring the surface of. the material embossed.

The invention consists in a method of and apparatus for embossing material and coloring embossed surfaces asset forthin the following specification and particularly as pointed out in the'claims thereof.

Referring to the drawings: 7 Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a toggle press of well'known form, an embossing and coloring device embodying my intaken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional elevation taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional View through the die, as takeno'n the line 3 3 of i Like numerals refer to like parts throughout" the several views of the'drawings.

In the drawings, 5 represents atreadle operated toggle press ofwell known form embodying therein a bed 6 and ahead 7,'the

latter having a head plate orpressure :memher 8 mounted to slide therein upon. a verjtical shaft 9 which'has a reciprocatory 1nove= ment imparted thereto by -mearis of afoot pedal 10 which is operatively connected in anysuitable manner to the vertical shaft 9.

Secured to the bed Ginany suitable manner is a member 11 which, in effect, constitutes a plungerand is provided with anupwardly projecting shouldered portion 12 which is provided with'a convex upper surface 13. Loosely mounted upon the plunger 11 is a holder 14 for'a die 15.41'The5die holder 14 is recessed upon its under side to form. a

chamber 16, and the latte'r'is rendered water 1 tight upon its lowerside by means of a diaphragm 17 which is clamped against a shouldered portion 18 of the die holder l4nieans ofaringnutlt).

1929. sriariqo. aedesa METHon or AND APPARATUS FOR, niviisossrne MATERIAL' AirncoLonIiIG nivrno sssi) The diaphragm 17 is preferably cone" portion of the plunger 11 projects through structed of'soft steel andis sufii'ciently thin i to be resilient. The ring nut 19 has an open- I ing 20 extending therethrough and the upper the opening 20and convex surface l3engages the under surface of the d1aphragm-17,thereby yieldingly supporting the die'holder let, .dief15 and associated parts.

A: spring 2l'isfurthermore interposed between theupper surface of the chamber-16 and the upper surface of the 'diaphragm 17.

and aids in yieldingly supportingthe die "holder and die upon the plunger 11.

member 22" a'nda positioning plate 23, the

The die 15 embodies thereinanembossing.

latter being secured to the underside of the embossing member 22 by means of screws2 i. The posit oning plate 23 1S shouldered at 25, and said shouldered portion 1s-located with- 'in an opening provided therefor in" the die holder '14. A chamber 26 is provided upon.

the interior of the die 15 and the chamber 26 is connected with the chamber 16"by means of a'passage 27' which. extendsthrough the positioning plate An upper surface '28 of th'e'embossing member 22 is providedwith channels 29 and 30 which areal-ranged to' form a suitable design, and said channels are connected tothe chamber 26 by a plurality of holesBl. p

The'dielf is detachablysecurejd to the up- "persurfaceof the d ieiholder 14 by'means of a latch which is pivoted at35 to the upper snrfaceof the die holder, and in securing the die to the die holder; he latclr32 enters a notch 34c that is provided inan edge ofthei die; A fiat side 35'of'thedie 15engages the flat side of a die block 36 upon theiipper surface of which is a character 37 which is to be impressedintothematerial that is one embossed. The die block J36 is detachably mounted upon the die holder 14 and'is 'posi tion'ediupona pin 38 which projects upfwa rdly from the upper surface of the die holden The die'block36 is secured tothe upper. surface the die holder by means "of" a latch' 39 whichis pivotally attached to the dieho'lder atiti). v it i cement which constitutes a coloring" material, is mounted upon the bed 6 of the press.

A spherical check valve 46 is located within the valve chamber 44 an'dis yieldingly held upon a seat 47 located at the bottom'of the chamber 44' by means of a spring 48 which is interposed between the periphery of the valve 46 and the underside o'fa screw plug49, which is provided for the purpose of closing the upper endyof the valve chamber s a meansof sealing thechambers 16 and 26 together with the channels 29 and in the upper face. of the die 15 fora purpose hereinafter to befullyexplained, a ridge 50 is provided extending around the outer edge of the channel29 and another ridge 51 exthe tension of the spring 21, together with from the material A.

tends around theupper surface of the die 15 adjacent to the edge of said die, and during the downward stroke of the pressure member 8 the material A which is tobe-embossed is forced against the ridges and. 51, and a} the latter are forced into the surface of said material, penetrating the latter a sufliclent amount to render the chambers 16 and 26 air I tight and their ridges 50 and 51 will continue to remain impressed in the surface of the material A during the-first part of the upward movement of the dieholcler14 and until the pressure member 8 is withdrawn The general operation of the. device here inbefore specifically described is as follows :-The material A, which is preferably 7 of a flexible nature, is placedupon the' die 15 and the foot pedal lQ is operated in a well known manner to forcethe pressure member Sdownwardly against the material A, moreing the under surface of the latter against the ridges 50 and 51 provided upon the upper surface of the embossing member I Assuming that the chamber-s16 and 26 and communicating passage2'i are iilledwith liq- .uid'coloring material, as soon as the pressure created by the downward movement of the pressure inemberQSas sufiicientcto overcome the tension of the diaphragm 17,;the die I holder 14 will be forceddownwardly upon the-plunger 11, causing vthe upper convex surface 13 oft he latter i to deflect the diaphragn fl'f upwardlyftliereby forcing; a 7 small amount of liquid coloring material from the chamber 26 through th'e holes 31 I into thechjannels and 30. The; continued downward movement of the diejholder 14 will finally be arrested byfthe contact of the lower surface of the iring nut l9 with the adjacent surface of therplunger 11,1f after which a further downward movement of the pressure member 8 will cause the material A tobe, compressed into the channels 29 and 30 until thematerial within said'cliannels contacts with the coloring material that .is

likewise located within said channels, at which time the design upon the upper surface of the die will be properly transferred to the material. i

During the impression stroke of the pressure member 8,'the sp'hericalcheck valve 46 prevents the coloring material Within the' die holderand die from being forced back- Wardly into the reservoir 41. As soon as the foot pedallO is released and thepressure member 8 starts to move upwardly to release 'themateria'l A, the die holder- 14 will be moved upwardly by the spring 21, and owing to the fact that the chambers 16 and 26 are sealed'bythe ridges 50 and 51 tightly ei1gag ing the under surface of the material A a suction will be created Within said chambers and a small a'mountof coloring material will pass by the check valve 46 and enter the chambers, replenishing the coloring material that has just been used. 7

It is evident thatany number of channels may be provided upon the upper face of the die 15 in order to provide the design that is desired, and furthermore the design may include certain numerals, letters or other characters that it maybedesirable to have transtt'eried to the material A but which' 'neednot necessarily fbe'colored, in which eventit is not necessarv that they have communication 7' with the ch amber 26.

I claim 1. ,An embossing and. coloring device li'aving,"in combination, a diexhavii'ig depressions in a printing face smear, means to feed coloring materialfrom the interior of the die into said {depressions and to force material tof"be"e 1iibos's"ed and colored'hgainst said face and into L said"clepi'essioiis, and means to create a suction. within the die to draw a supply of coloring niaterial thereinto.

7 2. An'-enibossin'g andlcoloring'device having, incombination, a'plungena die supported thereon having" a chamber for liquid coloring materlalf interposed between the plungerand die and"communicating with'a face ofsaid die, andmeans pi ess"friate 'ial against the-face of thediefz mdals'o impart a relative move'nien't'bctw en the "die and plunger, tofee d said coloring material to said An em'bossin'gia'nd coloring device having, in;combinatiomfa plunger, a die .su'pported thereon having a. chamber for liquid coloring material[interposed between -the plunger aiid die and'communicating with a iiiateriahagainstthe face of ith e rue, and also material against the face of the die and also impart a relative movement between the die and plunger to feed the COlOlll'lf'Dltlljfillfll from the interior of the die to said face and to create suction within the diewhereby coloring material is fed to the interior ofthe die.

5. Anembossing and coloring device having, in combination, a plunger, a the yieldingly supported thereon and having a chanr her interposed between the plunger and die and communicating with a face of the die, a reservoir for liquid coloring material'co'mmunicating with said chamber, and means to press flexible material against the face of "the die and also impart a reclprocatory movement to the die upon the plunger to feed coloring material to said face. 7

6. An embossing and coloring de ice having, in combination, a plunger, a die holder yieldingly supported thereon, a die detachablv mounted upon said holder and having a chamber for liquid coloring material interposed between the plunger and die and communicating with a face of the die, and

means to press fiexible'material against the face of the die and also impart a reciproca tory movement to the die upon the plunger to feed coloring material to said face.

7. An embossing and coloring device havi -g, in combination, a plunger, a die holder yieldingly supported thereon, a die detachably mounted upon said holder and having a chamber for liquid coloring material interposed between the plunger and die and communicating with a face of said die, a reservoir for coloring material colmnuni- 'catingwith said chamber, a check valve for the coloring material'between the chamber and reservoir, and means to press flexible material against the face of the die and also impart a reciprocatory movement to the the upon the plunger to feed coloring material to said face.

S. An embossing and coloring device having, in combination, a plunger, a die having a chamber, thereinforhquid coloring m aterial interposed betweenthe plunger and die and communicating with a face of said die, a resilient member mounted beneath the die and supporting the latter on the plungerj and constituting a wall for said chamber and means to press flexible material against the face of the die and move the latter upon the plunger to deflect the resilient member whereby the coloring material is fed from the chamber to the face. of the die.

.9; An embossing and. coloring, device having, in combination, a plunger, adie having a chamber, therein and provided with openings leading from the'chamber to a face of thedie a resilient member mounted beneath the die andsupporting the latter on the plungerfaind constituting a Wallforsaid chamber, a' reservoir for liquid coloring material communicating with the chamber, and f means to pressv flexible material against the face of the die and'move thelatter uponthe plunger to deflect the resilient member whereby the coloring materialis fedtothe 7 face" of the die and a suction isfcreatedwithin thecha'mber. to'feed coloring material from. the reservoir into the chamber.

ing, incombination, a plunger, :1 die having a chamber thereln communicating with a face thereof, a" resilient member mountedbeneath -10. Anembossing and: coloring device hav'-' the diexand supporting the latteron the plunger and. constituting a .wall' for said chamber, a reservoir for liquid coloring ma teria l communicating. w th; the (chamber, -means to press flexible materlaloagamst the} face of the die and move the. latter uponthe plunger :to deflect the resilient; member whereby the coloring material is, fedifrom the chamber to the faceof thedie and suction is created within the chamber vto feed coloring, 'materialfrom the reservoir intothe chamber,and meansto check a return movement of the coloring material between the-[chamber ;.and reservoir. 'i-:

11, An. embossingand coloringdevice having, incombination, a plunger, a' dieholder positioned. upon. the plunger, adiaphragm mounted uponthe holder'- and yieldinglysup- I porting the latter, uponv the plunger, ,a' diev mounted upon the holder'andlhavinga chainbertherein,communicatingwitha face thereof, a reservolr forj l1qu1d coloring material 7 communicating withv I the holder: and die chamber above the diaphragm, andmcans to press flexible material against the faceof the die and also impart a reciprocatoryvmoves ment-to the die holder upon the :pl u-ngerto d'eflectthe diaphragm, whereby coloring ma-.v if

terial is forced from the chainber-iof the die to the face thereof-.5; l

12. An 'embosslng. and coloring-device. havlng, 1Il'C0111b1Ilat-101l, a plunger,:ia;diel holder positioned upon the plunger, a diaphragm mounted upon: the holder and yieldingly supporting. thelatter upon theplunger, a die; mounted upon the holder and having a chamber'therein communicating with a face thereof, a reservoir for liquid coloringrmaterial V communicatingwith the holder and 'die chamber above the diaphragm,.and means to pressfl flexible material against the face of the die,

seal the'chamber and also impart a reciprocatory movement to the 'die jholder upon the.

plunger to deflect the diaphragm, whereby eoloring'material is forcedfrohrthe interior of the dieto the face thereof and a suction is created within the .die to feed thecoloring inaterial'from the reserVoir-tothe' die chamher. a r

13. An embossing and coloring device having, in combination, a plunger, a die holder positioned 'upon the plunger, a diaphragm mounted upon the holder and-yieldingly supporting the'latter upon the plunger, a die imounted upon the holder and provided with channels in a face thereof and having a chamber-therein communicating with said channels, a reservoir for liquld coloring material communicating w th the holder and die chamber, and means to press flexible material against the face of the die,'seal the channels in" the face of the die'and also impart a recip-v rocatory movement to the" die holder-upon the plunger to deflect the diaphragm,whereby coloring material is forced from the chamber of thedie into the channels upon'the face 7 thereof and-a suction is created Wlthllltllfi' chamberof the die'tofeed coloring material from the reservoir into said chamber.

14. The method of embossing and coloring material which comprisesfeed-ing liquid coloring material into depressions ina die, forcing the material to be. embossed and colored into the depressions and 1 into contact with said coloring material andcreating. a suction during each embossing and coloring operation to replenish the coloring'material employed during said'operation.

15. In an apparatus of the classdescribed, in combination,a die having depressions in a face thereof anda chamber in communication with said depressions, a liquid supply, and

I means to alter the volume of said chamberfor creating suction to draw liquid'from said supply into the'chamberand *for creating: pressure to force the same into saiddie depressions. I

16. In an'appa'ratus ofthe class described, in combination, a die having depressions ina face thereof and a chamber in communication with said depressions, a liquid supply, means comprisinga fiemblediaphragm forming a wall of said chamber for creating suction to draw liquid from said supply into the chainber and for creating pressure to force the same intosaiddie depressions. r

' In testimony whereof" I have "hereunto set my hand.

FR-ED 11- FOl VLER. V 

